Policy Manual

Introduction

Policy outlined in this manual was developed to allow the efficient and effective
use of the PGC while maintaining the integrity of the facility. The complexity and
sophistication of the facility and the nature of research scientists has dictated
the need for much of the policy contained in this manual. As experience in using and
managing the facility is gained, policy will be modified to improve the efficiency
and effectiveness of the use of the PGC. The management committee requests your cooperation
in applying this policy as well as sincerely solicits your suggestions and constructive
criticisms.

The management of the facility will be a combined effort of the PGC management committee
and the Dean of the College of Agriculture. The PGC management committee is comprised
of seven appointed faculty members from departments involved in biological and agricultural
science research, the Dean of the College of Agriculture, and the PGC Manager.

The PGC is in compliance with the Environmental Protection Agency's Worker Protection
Standards. All users of the facility must have a valid WPS training card or Montana
Department of Agriculture Pesticide Applicator's License in their procession. The
PGC Manager will provide WPS training upon request.

Research

Space Assignment

Assignment of specific areas of the various types of PGC space will be made for a
specific time interval, at the end of which use of that space must be relinquished
and the space vacated. There will be no permanent assignments of space. Length of
assignments will vary based on the character of individual experiments. Unless reassigned
in response to a new proposal, space not vacated on schedule will be cleared and the
unauthorized material contained therein will be disposed of. An extension can be obtained
only by submission of a new PGC use proposal at least one month in advance of the
original termination date. There will be no sub-letting of PGC space assigned to faculty.
Unused or unneeded space reverts back to PGC control. Under no circumstances may modifications
be made to any part of the PGC. Space will not be assigned to researchers in arrears
on use or cleaning fees.

Research Facilities

Space and facility assignments for research will be made in response to PGC use proposals
submitted on PGC use proposal forms available in the office of the Dean of the College
of Agriculture. The PGC Management Committee will act on each proposal within two
weeks of its receipt in the office of the Dean. Space and facilities will then be
assigned for approved proposals according to application date and availability of
space. Upon approval of each space request the researcher will receive a notice of
approval.

Maintenance Fee

Use of all PGC space and facilities for research activities will be on a prepaid fee
basis according to the attached fee schedule. Fees increase 4% per year. Research
faculty are advised to include such fees in the budgets of grant proposals and in
the budget planning process for continuing research activities such as MAES "Station
projects," etc. Greenhouses, growth chambers and growth rooms are also subject to
an Equipment Repair and Replacement (ERR) fee. Current rates are in the "Schedule
of Use Fees" section below.

Greenhouse Units

In addition to above stated policy, space assignment in greenhouse units will include
the following: On-going use in a given unit has priority over proposed use of additional
vacant space in that unit in the case of incompatibility of photoperiod, temperature,
disease, etc. Users assigned partial space in a unit are not free to pick and choose
their area nor are they free to rotate their activity from one area to another within
the unit. However, their desires, if made known, will be taken into consideration.

Growth Chambers and Growth Rooms

In addition to policy stated above, growth chamber installment and use assignment
will be in accordance with the following:

Installation Space

Placement of growth chambers in the PGC will be by faculty request for such space
to the PGC management committee. Approval will depend on availability of space and
an inspection of the growth chamber. The procurer is responsible for all installation
charges.

Units Owned by the PGC

These units will remain under jurisdiction of the PGC management committee and will
be assigned for use based on research proposals as described above.

Units Owned by G&C and Others

Used growth chambers previously installed elsewhere and in functioning condition will
come under the jurisdiction of the PGC management committee; however, the owner will
have priority in use assignment. Owner and non-owner users will be assessed use fees
according to the attached schedule. Procurers are responsible for all installation
charges.

New growth chambers, under warranty, will come under the jurisdiction of the PGC management
committee; however, the owner has priority in use assignment. The owner will not be
assessed a use fee during the first three years. Use fees will be assessed for non-owner
users from the outset and for owner users after the unit is three years old. Procurers
are responsible for all installation charges.

Conservatory

The conservatory will be managed by the PGC Management Committee. Suggestions for
this space are welcome and can be transmitted to the PGC Management Committee via
the Office of the Dean of the College of Agriculture.

Special Use Support Facilities

Certain facilities were designed for very special uses and, hence, their assignment
will be restricted to researchers who submit proposals for use consistent with the
designed use of that facility. These facilities will remain under jurisdiction of
the PGC Committee and their use will be assigned as described below. Additional policy
is as follows:

Potato Improvement Laboratories

These facilities, designed for research and other activities in support of the seed
potato industry, will remain under control of the PGC Management Committee. Space
assignment therein will be made by the PGC Management Committee coordinating with
the Montana Potato Improvement Association representative in response to PGC use proposals.

Weeds Laboratory

This facility is for support of PGC research and will remain in control of the PGC
Management Committee. Use and access will be through the Land Resources and Environmental
Sciences (LRES) Department Head by previous arrangement only. Additional use conditions
are stated elsewhere in this manual.

Insect Quarantine Laboratory and Plant Disease Isolation Units

These facilities are for support of PGC research and will remain in control of the
PGC Management Committee. Insect Quarantine Lab use assignment will be made in response
to the Insect Quarantine and Isolation Management Committee (IQIMC). IQIMC will advise
the PGC Management Committee on space requests. The IQIMC is comprised of the quarantine
officer, Entomology Research Lab Head, and the PGC Manager. Consult the Insect Quarantine
Policy and Procedure Manual for additional information.

Non-Assigned PGC Support Facilities

The facilities listed below are for general support of PGC research and will remain
under control of the PGC Management committee. Additional use conditions are stated
elsewhere in this manual.

Application Laboratory

Plant Drying and Grinding Rooms

Soil Drying and Grinding Rooms

Weighing Room

Plant Processing Room

Growth Media Handling and Processing Area

Storage Facilities

Cages and Lockers There will be no permanent or long-term assignment of space in the cages. Space in
the cages will be assigned in conjunction with space assignment in greenhouse, growth
rooms and growth chambers. Assignment of space in cages will be limited to the duration
of the associated space assignment in one of the plant growth facilities.

Indoor Soil/Growth Media Bins These storage bins will remain under control of the PGC Management Committee and
are for use by the PGC Manager only. Provision of potting soil and artificial growth
media are addressed elsewhere in this manual.

Outdoor Soil Storage These storage bins will remain under control of the PGC Management Committee. Assignment
of space is by PGC use proposals as described above. Storage only of benchmark soils
and soils that are the subjects of research are allowed.

Chemical Storage Rooms These storage rooms will remain under control of the PGC Management Committee. Use
of both the standard chemical storage room and toxic chemical room will be coordinated
by the PGC Manager. Access to and use of these rooms will be through the PGC Manager
by previous arrangement only. Additional use conditions are stated elsewhere in this
manual.

Pot Storage The pot storage rooms will remain under control of the PGC Management Committee.
No space in these rooms will be assigned to individual faculty. Policy on provision
of pots, flats, etc., are addressed elsewhere in this manual.

Plant Material Storage These rooms will remain under control of the PGC Management Committee. There is one
room with a cool, moist environment and one room with an ambient environment. Additional
use conditions are stated elsewhere in this manual. Plant material should be stored
in rodent proof containers.

Seed Storage This room will remain under control of the PGC Management Committee. Additional use
conditions are stated elsewhere in this manual.

Cabinets (Plant Processing) The locking cabinets in the plant processing area will remain under control of the
PGC Manager.

Open Storage Rooms These rooms will remain under control of the PGC Management Committee. They are not
for common use.

Mechanical - Electrical - Custodial Rooms These rooms will remain under the control of Facilities Services. Generally, they
are off limits to all PGC users.

Office and Shop The PGC office, connecting supply room and shop will remain under control of the
PGC Management Committee. This office complex is for use only by the PGC Manager and
staff.

Schedule of Use Fees

In order to generate funds for maintaining greenhouses, growth chambers, and growth
rooms, users will be charged a monthly fee based on the amount of square footage used.
Fees will be collected at the assignment of the space for the project. In addition
to maintenance, funds will be used to purchase soil, pots, light bulbs, etc. and for
student labor.

Policies regarding growth chambers and growth rooms:

PGC owned chambers and rooms have no priority use stipulations.

G & C and other agency owned:

New growth chambers and growth rooms (not previously used or currently under warranty)
have priority use by owner. No user fees are charged to owner for first three years
from date of installation and thereafter owner will be subject to square footage charges
upon his/her use of the growth chamber. Users of growth chambers and rooms, other
than owners, will be charged according to the square footage of growth space used.

Used growth chambers and growth rooms (previously used) have priority use by owner.
Square footage charges applied immediately to all users of growth chambers, including
owner. Procurers of growth chambers and rooms are responsible for all installation
charges.

Storage-Wire cages

$5.43 per month

Cleaning of vacated space/facility/pots

$50 per incident if cleaned by PGC staff.

General PGC Operating Rules

The PGC will be periodically inspected by the management committee for rule compliance.

The PGC is designated as a no smoking facility.

These facilities are to be used only in support of PGC Research. The PGC is not to
be used as a replacement of laboratory, service, etc. facilities in other buildings.
Material and equipment from field research is not to be brought into the PGC for processing
and/or storage.

Under no circumstances may modifications be made to any part of the PGC.

Additional Operating Rules:

The PGC Manager is responsible for overall operations, application of policies and
training of project leader in use of the facilities.

Project leaders are responsible for training their employees, graduate students and
anyone working for them in the proper use of greenhouse procedures and policies and
is responsible for their actions.

Project leaders are responsible to see that their workers clean all areas in which
they work. Failure to follow this policy will be grounds for rejection of space assignment.
Equipment will be provided for sweeping and washing.

Use your space effectively. Failure to use space effectively will be grounds for reassignment.

Coordinate with the PGC Manager in returning all equipment and other general use items,
cleaned, to their proper place when you are finished with their use.

The PGC Manager will provide a general potting mix for all assigned users. Specific
plant growth medium can be prepared by the researcher from the materials provided
by PGC.

The PGC Manager will provide all pots and flats for use in the facility. Any specialized
pots or containers must be provided by the researcher with the approval of the PGC
Manager.

All materials and equipment brought into the PGC for storage must be used in the facility.

All insect and disease control will be done by the PGC Manager or under his control.
The PGC Manager will coordinate all control activities with the project leader.

When sharing growth facility space, individual researchers will not interfere with
other studies being conducted in the facility; this includes watering, lighting, temperature
control, and other environmental factors.

All plant materials will be watered and tended by the PGC user.

Keep experimental material weed-free and dispose of weeds in a garbage can, NOT UNDER
BENCHES.

The temperature and light conditions for each greenhouse section will be set for the
researcher by the PGC Manager.

All teaching projects in the greenhouses must be identified as follows: a) name of
project leader; and b) phone number. Labels will be provided by the PGC Manager. If
plant materials are identified, they will not be moved or disposed of without consultation
with the instructor. Unlabeled material will be disposed of immediately.

Janitorial service will be provided in the laboratories, storage areas, and student
study/lounge; however, each instructor is responsible for leaving the facilities in
a clean and presentable condition after each lab and prior to another scheduled class.
The instructor is also responsible for keeping the greenhouse spaces clean during
use and upon termination of the activities.

Policies for Non-Assigned PGC Support Areas

Soil/Potting Room:

Plant growth media provided by the PGC will include a standard greenhouse medium consisting
of peat, loam soil, and sand free of chemical contaminants (1:1:1 by volume). Peat,
and a common commercial growing medium (Sunshine mix) will be provided in bags. Pasteurized
media will be available only in the soil carts. Pasteurizing will be carried out by
the PGC staff.

Pots and flats will be provided by the PGC Manager.

Researchers are responsible for filling plant growth containers with soil, planting,
and placing their materials into their assigned space.

Potting will be done in designated potting areas. Leftover and spilled soil will be
swept up and disposed of in trash receptacles, never returned to the soil bins or
soil carts, and never washed down the greenhouse drains. Soil preparation and potting
areas will be cleaned immediately after each use. Pasteurized soil must not be contaminated
by the addition of non-pasteurized soil, floor sweepings, nor by dirty implements.

Plant and Soil Analysis Area:

Facilities for analysis of PGC plant materials and soil (growing media) are provided
in the PGC. These include grinders, balances, and work surfaces. These are shared
facilities; authorization and time for their use must be arranged for with the PGC
Manager. No one is allowed to use these facilities and equipment until properly trained
in their operation. Other specialized research equipment (leaf area meters, pH meters,
conductivity bridges, etc.) may be brought in and used on a day-to-day basis. Do not
leave research equipment unattended or stored in this area.

Plant material will be analyzed in the plant area and soil will be analyzed in the
soil area. That is, soil will not be ground in the plant grinders nor will it be dried
in the plant drying area, the same holds true for plant material. Keep all equipment
and work surfaces clean. Contamination of other experiments must be avoided.

Only plant material and soils from PGC research may be analyzed in this area.

Use of Hazardous, Toxic and Radioactive Materials:

All state and federal guidelines regarding hazardous and radioactive materials will
be followed. These materials will be used in a manner to insure the safety of others
and such that they will have no influence on other research. These materials may be
stored only in the area specified for toxic chemical storage. These storage areas
are under the control of the PGC Manager.

Contaminated Plant and Soil Disposal:

Soils and plant material treated with hazardous or radioactive compounds are to be
properly labeled and placed in receptacles in the hazardous chemical storage area.
The project leader is responsible for determining safe and proper disposal procedures
and seeing that they are carried out with dispatch. The PGC Manager is to be notified
of disposal of any such material and will arrange for their removal from the PGC.

Experiment Termination:

Researchers will be notified by the PGC Manager one month before their allotted time
is up. Upon termination of each experiment the project leader is responsible for seeing
that all plant material, soil, and containers are removed from the growth area, cleaned
and returned for storage or disposed of in appropriate receptacles.

If researchers do not vacate and clean their area when required, user fees will continue
to be charged. If the PGC staff is required to clean the area an additional $50 cleaning
fee will be charged.

Weed Lab and Herbicide Application Room:

It is expected that the majority use of these facilities will be by faculty with primary
research responsibilities in the weed science discipline. However, other faculty with
need of such facilities may request their use. Specific use policies for activities
in these rooms will be developed by the PGC management committee in consultation with
the Weed Science Faculty. These policies are not to contradict nor lead to violations
of other PGC policies.

The immediate administrator for this area will be the head of the LRES Department.
Authorization and time for its use will be arranged through this administrator.

Materials removed from these labs are to be in closed containers and handled with
care to avoid any influence on other research.

Potato Improvement Laboratories:

Policies for activities within these rooms will be determined by the PGC management
committee in consultation with the designated Potato Lab representative. These policies
are not to contradict or lead to violations of other PGC policies.

Materials removed from these labs are to be handled with care to avoid any influence
on other research.

Cold-Wet Storage:

Space will be allocated for a limited time for experiments needing to maintain plants
or to provide cool (>0 C) treatments for experiments. Requests for space will utilize
standard PGC use proposal format. As the environment will favor growth and survival
of certain pathogens cleanliness will be strictly enforced. Pathogens will not be
intentionally introduced into the general room environment.

Storage Cages and Lockers:

Only supplies and equipment used in direct support of ongoing PGC research may be
stored in these facilities. Cages and lockers must be vacated, cleaned and keys returned
to the PGC Manager at the termination of research activity. If the PGC staff is required
to empty and clean these facilities, a $50 cleaning fee will be charged.

Toxic Chemical Storage Room:

Only chemicals being used in direct support of ongoing PGC research may be stored
in this room. All pesticides, radioactive isotopes, carcinogens, volatile and flammable
chemicals that qualify for PGC storage must be stored in this room. All containers
must be sealed and labeled for content and ownership. Chemicals are not to be stored
in lockers and cages.

Non-Toxic Chemical Room:

Only chemicals that do not pose a hazard under normal and proper use and that are
being used in direct support of ongoing PGC research may be stored in this room. All
containers must be sealed and labeled for content and ownership. Chemicals are not
to be stored in lockers and cages.

Seed Storage:

Store only seed materials in this room which will be used in the PGC. Each container
of seed should be identified by name and date stored. Seed going into storage must
be free of insects. Seed must be at a safe moisture content for storage (12-13%).
Project leaders are responsible for keeping this room clean. Any spilled seed must
be cleaned up immediately.

Application Room:

No pesticides will be applied in this room. The project leader is responsible for
operating the application equipment and clean-up of the room and equipment. Plant
or seed materials must not be moved to growth facilities until they are completely
dry.

Services Provided by PGC Staff

Monitor user compliance to PGC policies and report discrepancies to the PGC management
committee and Dean of the College of Agriculture.

Insect and disease control coordination.

Notify project leaders prior to space assignment termination.

Train faculty in proper use of PGC facilities.

Monitor condition of facilities and equipment and arrange for repair when necessary.

Procure, prepare and pasteurize plant growth media, soil, and sand.

Daily clean-up of areas not cared for by the physical plant custodians. This does
not include clean-up identified as the responsibility of researchers elsewhere in
the PGC policies.

Maintain inventory of current projects.

Set all environmental controls.

Maintain accurate records of all use assignments, chemical treatments of space and
other information pertinent to the management of the PGC.

Key Assignment

Keys issued will be for specific space assigned and only for the duration of the space
assignment. All key assignments must be approved and monitored by the PGC Manager.
Keys will be issued by the University Police Office. User fees will continue until
keys are returned and a copy of the key receipt given to the manager. Researchers
are responsible for costs of re keying necessitated by their failure to return keys.

Keys to non-assigned areas will not be distributed. Access will be through the PGC
Manager by previous arrangement.

Teaching

Users of teaching facilities are expected to follow the General PGC Operating Rules
found previously in this document.

Space Assignment

Classrooms/Laboratories (Rooms 210, 211 and 214)

Space assignments will be made by the Assistant Dean of the College of Agriculture
in response to requests from the teaching faculty and in consultation with the Registrar's
Office and PGC Management Committee. Courses which produce university credits have
priority over educational activities, e.g., professional update, short courses, applicator
licensing workshops or symposia events which do not produce university credits. Preference
will be given to instructors and/or courses that utilize living plant materials, relate
to the plant sciences, or in some way complement research activities in the PGC. However,
other courses, regardless of subject matter, will be considered depending upon space
availability. Assignments will be reviewed on a regular basis to insure that optimal
and appropriate use is being made of the space.

Faculty wishing to teach in these rooms must submit a proposal (available in the PGC
or Dean of Agriculture's office) to request and justify specific uses of classroom/lab
spaces. Proposals must be received by the Assistant Dean at least one academic semester
prior to the semester courses will be taught.

Teaching Greenhouse (179 L & M)

Space assignments will be made by the Assistant Dean of the College of Agriculture
in response to specific requests from the faculty. Preference will be giving to individuals
utilizing living plant material in their classes, regardless of whether the courses
are taught in the PGC. Individual problems, and special projects for graduate and
undergraduate students will be considered on a regular and "if space is available"
basis.

Faculty wishing to use glasshouse space must submit a proposal to request and justify
use of the space six weeks prior to intended start date. Forms are available from
PGC office or Dean of Agriculture's office.

Student Lounge/Study Area

This area is considered open, non-assigned, multiple use space. However, on occasion,
special activities may be scheduled in this area that would take priority over general
student use. For example, discussion groups associated with classes taught in the
PGC, receptions for campus guests and dignitaries, etc. may wish to use this space.
Special use requests should be submitted to the Assistant Dean at least one week in
advance of the planned activity.

Use Fees

Fee charging, non-resident instruction uses of the classrooms will be charged $50/day/room.